Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou: 'There's a book in there somewhere'

There weren’t many pluses for Ange Postecoglou in pitching up to Celtic when he did. Only one, in fact.

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou says he has "no complaints" about the huge adjustments he has had to make in settling in rainy Scotland and praises his comprehensively revamped squad for how they have bonded in benefitting frm the freedoms allow by relaxtion of Covid-19 protocols. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

The 56-year-old inherited an almighty mess on arriving at Celtic Park in June in the wake of a spectacular title collapse that demanded a squad rebuild at which the pyramid architects would have baulked. Yet as much as Celtic’s performances have been transformed, so too has how new arrivals have been able to integrate off it – demonstrated in the snap of summer signings Joe Hart and Josip Juranovic dining out together the other evening. Even with 12 new faces, Celtic’s squad have been able develop a closeness in a fashion made impossible by Covid-19 constraints that forced players lead hermetical existences away from football last season. A factor the Celtic manager recognises is not insignificant.

"That is part of the process, with players bonding on and off the field,” he said of the Celtic’s duo’s recent meal out. "In any environment, that's usually driven by your experienced players and how they behave. It's not about words, it's about actions and behaviours. If they do that, then the rest will follow. I know from my own experience in Japan that it was a difficult time last year with Covid. It was hard to create that team unity as the guys had to go home and lock themselves away. It would have been really challenging at Celtic last season too, so at least now we can take advantage of the freedoms we have.

"The players themselves need to take the credit for the spirit in the squad. Sometimes when you are thrown into adversity together, it bonds you. We have 12 new players but even some of the ones who were here, like Tony Ralston and Adam Montgomery, hadn't played a lot of football at Celtic. In the early part of the season, they all had to be really resilient as results and performances were inconsistent. But through that adversity, if you stick together it creates a bond among the group. That's what happened and also the leadership of guys like Cal [Callum McGregor], Joe [Hart], Niro [Nir Bitton] and Tommy [Rogic] is important. They have been here for a while, or have past experience that if you stick together, you can build something.”

In that assessment, the Celtic manager is downplaying his own crucial role fusing together so many disparate personalities and nationalities in so short a time. And, as an Australian uprooting from a three-year stint in Japan to resettle in Glasgow, Postecoglou has shown genuine mettle retaining his equilibrium in dealing not just with moving halfway across the world but a series of early, heavy dunts for his nascent team.

"There is a book in there somewhere,” the Celtic manager said. “We will write that chapter when hopefully something significant happens. But it's part of the process and I can't complain. I have been given a wonderful opportunity to manage a fantastic football club. I have a beautiful family – a wife who understands it and two young kids who don't have a say in the matter … that makes the transition a little easier but I have no complaints. Everyone has been really supportive and that allows me to concentrate on getting this club the success it deserves.”

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